Sheath with latch for folding tools



Sept. 16, 1958 H. E. ZOELLER SHEATH WITH LATCH FOR FOLDING TOOLS Filed April 3, 1956 Fig.2

' Hugo E. Zoel/er' INVENTOR.

2,851,704 Patented Sept; 16,1958

SHEATH WITH LATCH FOR FOLDING TOOLS Hugo E. Zoeller, Joliet, 111.

Application April 3, 1956, SeriaLNo. 575,900.

2 Claims. (Cl. .7-14.25)

The present invention relates to a pocket-type multipurpose tool or" implement which looks like a; pocket knife, but has to do' with" folding tools encased,' when notin use, in' a-special sheath-and-which maybeswung out of the sheath and projected for use whenever necessary or desired.

Briefly summarized, the invention in its preferred form comprises a sheath in which the folding, hingedly mounted tools are normally sheathed when not in use.

One tool is expressly designed and constructed to open cans, beer cans, for example, and has to do with a punch. The other tool is a bottle cap lifter. However, both tools may be properly construed as folding, hingedly mounted openers which are swung out and extended, much like the blades of a pocket knife, when in use.

In carrying out the principles of the invention, each tool has a hinged shank, and an edge portion of the shank is notched to provide a keeper seat and a cooperating detent. The seat and detent in each instance cooperate with a keeper seat for the detent, which latter keeper seat is formed in an end portion of a yielding retainer spring, the coaction of the parts being such that the tool in either instance is latched and held with reasonable stability in its extended open position in a manner to facilitate reliable use as an opener.

More explicitly, an elongate spring is mounted on pins in the bottom portion of the sheath and has a bend intermediate its ends which constitutes a thrust member. The respective end portions of the spring beyond the pins serve as the individual latches.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying sheet of illustrated drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a pocket-type opener constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Figure 3 is a view with portions in elevation and section and on an enlarged scale showing the can opener (beer can punch) extended in readiness for use and the other tool, the bottle cap lifter or opener, folded to its out-of-the-way position.

Figure 4 is a similar view with the tools reversed, that is, with the can opener folded in and the bottle opener swung out in readiness for use.

Figures 5 and 6 are sections on the vertical lines 55 and 6-6 of Figure 3 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the sheath liners. I

Figure 8 is a view showing a fragmentary portion of a beer can section and illustrating how the beer can punch is used as an opener in a generally well known manner.

Figure 9 is a view showing a fragmentary portion of a bottle and bottle cap and illustrating how the cap lifter or opener is employed.

The sheath as a structural entity is denoted by the numeral 10 and'may be'of any suitable material, shape and proportions; It' comprisesa pair of opposed spaced parallel side members or plates 12 which are substantially duplicated and inside of these are two'suitable liners, also of" appropriate-material, and these are denoted by the numerals-14 andfeach has a space filler block 16 at each cndand a strap-like connecting member 18 of small'crosssection at the bottom portions of said blocks. These fillers wherrpositioned in spaced parallelism inside the plates 12 provide an appropriate pocket or space 20 as seen in the drawings; into which the-fold-away or folding tools may be swungto out-of-the-way positions. This is. brought out; for example, in Fig. 2 wherein both tools are nested in the pocket'orspace in the sheath and are not" inuse; The' expression; tools is" here" employed todesignate either of thedevices at opposite ends ofthe sheath; These might varyin construction but in order to fulfillthe requirements of'present' intentions, it is preferred-thatthe-"tool22 at' the left be in the form of a beer can punch and that the tool 24 at the right be a bottle cap lifter or opener. Insofar as the punch portion of the tool 22 is concerned, it is of any suitable construction and is preferably like ones that are now on the market. No detailed information, therefore, need be given except to point out that the shank 26 is arranged between the block-like filler members 16 at the lefthand end where it is hingedly mounted, as at 28, to be swung in and out. Basically, the tool 24 at the right has its tool end 30 of any suitable construction that is formed with jaws so that it may function to remove the cap from the bottle in the manner illustrated in Fig. 9. Here again there is a shank fashioned and fitted between the filler block 16, the shank being denoted at 32 and hinged in place, as at 34.

Occupying the space existing between the strip-like filler members 18 is an elongate metal or equivalent spring which is denoted generally by the numeral 36. This is a member which is essentially linearly straight but is provided intermediate its ends with an outstanding bow or bend 38 which projects beyond the bottom of the sheath where it provides a thrust element which may be pressed with ones thumb up and into the dotted line position shown, for example, in Fig. 3 of the drawings to release the hereinafter described latches. Both end portions of this spring are fastened in the sheath by way of cross-pins, one at the left as shown at 40, and the other at the right as shown at 42, for example, in Figs. 3 and 4. The relatively short but nevertheless flexible terminals or end portions of the spring which are respectively denoted by the numerals 44 and 46 constitute what may be conveniently referred to as yieldable retaining latches. Each shank, either 26 or 32, is provided with a marginal recess or notch 46 defining a V-shaped detent 48. The detent, when it is in use as shown at the left in Fig. 3 and at the right in Fig.- 4, is adapted to snap releasably into a substantially V-shaped keeper seat or depression 50 provided therefor in its complemental latch. Thus, the latch 44 has a keeper seat and the latch 46 has a keeper seat, and the respective detents 48 on the respective tools 22 and 24 are cooperable therewith, as illustrated in the drawings. It is possible to latchingly hold both tools extended out at the same time or just one at a time, and therefore the latching and retaining means for each tool at each end is the same and the disclosure may be construed accordingly.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A pocket-type multipurpose tool of the class described comprising a sheath, fold-away tools hingedly mounted at the respective ends of said sheath and being folded Within the confines of the sheath when not in use, said sheath comprising a pair of spaced parallel cover plates, the interior surfaces of which are flat and provided with liners, each liner embodying a strip member of small cross-section having flat-faced relatively large block-like members at its respective ends, the block-like members of the respective liners being spaced apart, a spring member commensurate in length with and sandwiched between said strip members and having its end portions pinned to cooperating end portions of the respective strip members and cooperating with said strip members and plates in defining the bottom of said sheath, each end portion of said spring member being free and constituting a resilient latch, each latch having a keeper seat, and tools at the respective end portions of said sheath, each tool having a blade portion and a shank portion, the shank portion being hingedly mounted References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D.l68,053 LaForte Oct. 28, 1952 292,473 Dieterich Jan. 29, 1884 988,068 Beardsley et al Mar. 28, 1911 2,430,638 Hoffman Nov. 11, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS 438,719 Germany Dec. 31, 1926 1,059,965 France Nov. 18, 1953 1,072,970 France Mar. 17, 1954 

